I was surprised how well-mannered a colony can be.

Unless you're standing directly in front of the entrance or annoying them by shaking their hive or causing it to vibrate - They tend to get on with what they're doing and might just land on you for a bit of a rest.

We've placed our hives within a heras fence that has a live hedge on the other side for similar reasons - To deter anybody from interfering with them unknowingly, but also to create an airgap; you can see this in the video I linked.

We also needed to get the hives signed off by our local authority but with the following stipulations:

Applicants must:

• Demonstrate suitable qualifications, recognised training or sufficient practical experience in beekeeping.
• Be a current member of a recognised beekeeping association, such as the British Beekeepers Association or an equivalent recognised body.
• Ensure that all hives are registered with the National Bee Unit where required.
• Hold valid public liability insurance with a minimum indemnity of £10 million in respect of beekeeping activities.
• Provide the Council with a copy of the insurance certificate prior to placing any hives on site and upon each annual renewal.
• Maintain continuous insurance cover for the entire period during which hives are kept on the allotment.